(a) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a novel compass device wherein at least two flat disc members are secured to one another with one of the members having spaced apart markings indicative of time and disposed in a counterclockwise direction and the second member having an indicating means aligned on a radius between a center point relative to the ring so that the north pole can be detected by orienting a 12 o'clock marking on the ring with the sun. Simultaneously the time of day can also be ascertained in major cities of the world as the compass device may also be used as a time indicator device. The device is formed of two small circular discs secured in flat side-by-side relationship at the center thereof with the center of a disc indicating the north pole.
(b) Description of Prior Art
Various compass and time indicator devices using rings are known. For example, such a time indicator device is disclosed in French Patent No. 2,467,437 published in 1981. That particular device utilizes an aperture or a shadow creating member in order to indicate the time of day on a ring. However, it is not meant to indicate the direction of the north pole. Various compasses are known to do this, and most of these compasses utilize metal parts, particularly for the indicating needle and its support. Thus, the needle is greatly affected by any environmental magnetic perturbances thereby causing the needle to give a false indication of the direction of the north pole. These magnetic perturbances may be caused by various elements such as the metallic content of the soil, overhead or burried electrical cables, cold and humidity, or an electrical disturbance in the atmosphere. Another disadvantage of such compasses is that the needle is delicatelly supported and protected by a glass top, if the glass is broken, by dropping the compass on the ground or if a person carrying the compass falls, the needle will also be broken. Still further, such compasses are usually bulky as they require a predetermined thickness in its casing whereby to support needles elevated therein. They also indicate the direction of the magnetic north instead of the geographic north, which can be substantially different.